What We Are
by Sinister Attraction
Summary: Caryl -S4 E1 -IC; (from trailers & interviews) possible SPOILERS for Season 4. How does Daryl react to Carol's nickname's ("Boo" & "Pookie"), her putting herself in danger and how does she react to Daryl making the first moves? Read on and find out! Lots of Caryl fluff and some sesnsul material! Rated T! Caryl on!


**SEASON 4 SPOILERS! Don't read past this if you haven't seen the trailers or want to know what I think is going to happen!**

**Sorry I have been MIA! I have been very sick still, it's been months since I've updated any of my stories I do apologize for that! My cancer has not been getting better and my brain tumors have not been either. So I've been trying to focus on getting better. But this popped into my head and I couldn't help myself! So I hope you enjoy!**

**I tried to stay as much in character as I could, you all know how much of a stickler I am for fanfictions being IC :)**

**Caryl on my lovelys!**

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"We had a pretty big build up over night," Carol said crossing her arms over her chest as she walked next to Daryl looking out over the prison yard. "There's dozen's more toward's tower three... they don't spread out anymore."

"Somethin' other than us got them rouwled up," he mumbled.

The Walkers were lined up staggering along the outside of the fence that had slowly caved in over the last five months. The wood planks they found on a few runs were only doing so much to hold them together and it would be soon enough the walkers would tear them down.

"It's manageable, but unless we get ahead of it... not for long," she said glancing at him rubbing her hands absently up and down her arms and glanced over at him.

"We will," he said glancing at her with a quick smile shoving some food into his mouth before swallowing it quickly. "Rick wants reinforce the fence on the outside with cement, don't know how we're gonna do it but we gotta do something soon." He said absently.

She nodded and let the subject go. This was their normal morning -she usually got up before him -well before everyone and helped get breakfast ready for everyone and she and Daryl would go outside and talk for a few minutes before the daily things needed to be done. Never did they talk about anything other than surviving or the walkers trying to kill them, it was a little depressing and what was even more depressing today was she knew he was leaving the prison to go on another huge run. She looked over at him and seen him picking at his food she scrunched her nose and chuckled hearing him grunt.

"You know we have forks now," she said squinting up at him with a smirk.

"So," he said licking at his fingers looking at her from the corner of his eye too busy with the food he was eating. "Ya' didnt give me one when you gave me my food," he said lifting the bowl to show her his food.

She giggled shaking her head, "what can I say... I like watching you lick your fingers," she said with a sigh. She blushed at her words and could see from the corner of her eye he was too. She could see him still for a moment before continuing on with his eating. It had been over a year of their playful flirting -well her playful flirting at least and every now and then he'd get a jab in and when he did he took her by surprise.

"Pervert."

She chuckled and bit her bottom lip looking down at her feet squeezing her arms closer to her body. The winter had passed and spring was on them but the morning hours were still somewhat cold. At least to her they were -she was a lot smaller than she used to be and that was somewhat her own fault and although Daryl got on her case once or twice before about giving her food to the others or skipping meals it didn't bother her. They had more mouths to feed now.

Daryl looked out ahead of them and then around them to see that other than the walkers that were surrounding the prison it was just the two of them. "Did you eat this morning?"

"I will when you leave," she said softly with a frown.

He grunted with a nod. "Bes' make sure you do," he said swinging his arm around her shoulders hearing her release a deep breath.

Carol chuckled, "you wouldn't know if I did or not anyways," she said keeping her arms crossed. Daryl never showed his type of physical affection publicly before so she didnt know how to take it. She was afraid if she made a move he'd move his arm and being his close to him right now was amazing. She looked up at him and smiled seeing the scowl on his face, "I'll eat don't worry about it," she said. "You just be careful out there today," she said with pleading eyes.

He nodded and loosened his arm a little around her shoulders. "Do runs all the time, I'll be fine." He said without looking at her but felt her shift under his touch. It was then he felt her arm go around his waist. He swallowed hard and moved his eyes down to see her looking up at him with solid look of -he wasnt sure what the look was at that moment but it was a look he was sure he'd given her many times when he was worry about her or scared to tell her something. He'd worn that look many times in the last few years and he knew she hated it just as much as he was hating it now that she wasnt talking but right now they didnt have time. All he knew was he was coming back to her -he always did and he always would no matter what happened.

He loved her too much to give up out there on some stupid run. No if Daryl was going to die in this world it was going to be for better cause than going out on a run for dipers and canned tuna. It would be saving her life. But he knew better than that -he knew that his time wouldn't be up for a long time. He and Carol would die together of old age in this God forsaken world.

He'd make sure of that!

With those chilling thoughts Daryl caressed her shoulder with his fingers squeezing her for a moment before dropping his hand quickly. Those thoughts always pissed him off and with her standing there only made it worse, although he got most of his temper in check it didnt want to lash out on her before a run. Knowing their luck something bad would happen while he was gone and he didn't want his parting words with her to be bad.

Carol sighed dropping her hand from his waist knowing that Daryl was in deep thought, she hated when he got like this but it was necessary it was just who he was that was more of a reason why she loved him. She saw him squinting looking over her head in the direction of park way that led out of the prison she could see Tyreese and Karen kissing their goodbye's to one another. She smiled to herself tilting her head to side in awe of their affection to one another before hearing a grunt behind her.

"Better get goin'," he said nodding for her to follow him towards the doors inside.

"You want me to kiss you bye like that, Pookie?" she said puckering her lips together.

Daryl chuckled shaking his head handing her back the bowl his food was in. "Pookie?" he repeated hearing her giggle next to him. "Don't ever call me that in front of anyone, or ever for that matter."

"What about ... Boo?" she said with another chuckle.

He opened the door for her as she slid in under his arm and they walked side by side in the dimly lit hallway that led to Cell Block D. "Ya' been hanging around them damn kids too long!"

"It was their idea anyways."

"What to call me names?"

"It's a term of endearment, Daryl," she said stopping in front of him. She placed her hand on his chest to stop him from walking. The sounds of the kids and people talking could be heard behind them. She could see him looking down at her, his hair grazing his beautiful eyes as they took in her face. She could feel his heart beating rapidly against her hand as she stepped closer to him. "I'm not one for them either, but I'd figure I'd try them out and see how you like them. Besides you call Jude, sweetheart, how's that any different?" she said with a smirk.

"She's a baby." He said huskily taking in a deep breath.

"I know that... I'm joking!"

"Can you ever be serious?" he said with a smirk now.

"Sometimes." She dropped her hand then and turned to walk towards the cell block but before she could make it in she felt Daryl grab her arm and turn her towards him.

Carol froze then and saw the emotion play on Daryl's face as he looked at her. She swallowed hard feeling that he hadn't let go of her arm only tightened his grip on it. He wasn't hurting her if anything it was a protective hold he had on her and when she felt his rough thumb run up and down her inner arm she smiled at him.

"What?" she said softly tilting her head.

Daryl didn't say anything at first, instead he just moved her back against the wall and stood close to her. He'd been close to her many times like this. They were in a closed space like this many times -they shared a cell together for goodness sakes. Swallowing hard feeling the blood rush to his face and to other places he knew he had to hurry up -he was too close to her -this was all so new to him still and he didn't know what he was doing but he was taking a leap here with her.

"Think of one," he whispered to her as he leaned his head close to her ear. His lips brushed just below her ear his stubble tickling her neck. He felt her hands grip his upper arms through his leather jacket and he stood still for a moment breathing in her scent -she took to wearing this damn lotion that drove him crazy sometimes and she had it on now. It was only making it harder for him to walk away but when he pulled back her eyes were closed. His face was close to hers then and he knew that he needed to kiss her but he couldnt do it. "I haveta' go."

With that he pulled away quickly without looking back at her, he knew if he did he'd be done for.

D/C/D/C/D/C

As the day went on all Carol could think about was what happened this morning with Daryl. Of course she was worried about him out there -she always worried about him and the others when they were out on dangerous runs. Aside from the Walkers out there they still had the Governor to deal with. It had been months since they had heard anything from him and they knew at any moment something could happen to them all. He'd snuck up on them before he could and would do it again they all just didn't know when it would happen. But thinking about the younger Dixon making a move on her like that made her heart swell. Sure she and Daryl shared a cell together and on occasion a bed, nothing else really happened between them. Innocent flirting here and there and he'd even gotten better at reciprocating, their innocent touches like today he'd even put his arm around her and let her put an arm around him. He'd gotten closer to her than he'd ever been and when they shared a bed together he barely touched her. Sometimes he'd end up with his arm around her but that was only because she'd made a comment about how nice the body heat would be and in the morning his body would be so wrapped around her it would be hard for her to pry him off of her. But that was few and far between that, that ever happened.

But those small moments meant so much to her so whatever it was that possessed him today to make that move stunned her.

He wanted her to think of a little useless nickname for him. Daryl thought they were just as asinine as she did so why?

Was he maybe wanting her to label what they were? Was he too scared to really take whatever the hell they were to the next level so he wanted her to do it and that was just his little push?

She knew Daryl would never make the real first move and honestly she didn't think she would either. She talked a tough game around him but in all reality she was scared. She was scared of his rejection. She loved him deeply loved and cared about him so much that it would hurt if he ever turned her down so the innocent flirting was ok with her. And if tip toeing around their feelings for one another for the rest of their lives was all they did she was ok with that.

Daryl was her best friend. Her partner in crime so speak and although she wanted him as a lover she knew that may never happen and she was fine with that.

But after what happened today maybe she was wrong -maybe Daryl Dixon wanted more all along and was just finally able to tell her.

"Carol?"

Carol snapped out of her thoughts when she heard one of the Woodbury woman call her name from behind her. She put her knife back in it's rightful place on her hip and turned around plastering a smile on her face.

"The shower's in Block D aren't getting any water?"

Carol sighed and nodded, "I've noticed," she said seeing the young woman look at her confused. "We're having the same trouble in C, I'll let Rick and the other's know." With that she nodded to the woman and smiled before making her way out of the common gathering area of the inside of the prison and made her way outside.

It was the middle of the day and the sun was heavy in the sky, Carol squinted shielding her eyes from the sun before looking around the area to look for Rick. Although he wasn't their "leader" anymore she still looked to him for answers when Daryl wasnt around. Although she could make decisions on her own it was always nice to have the help of someone else from her group. She could see Carl out by the gates waiting on the others to return and some of the other Woodbury kids waiting with him taking watch but no Rick. She walked down the rocked path seeing a few of the other Woodbury folk before spotting Hershel in the garden. She walked over to him watching him for a moment with a smile on her face. He'd come a long way -they all had in fact since every had happen when they'd come to the prison. She watched as he stood up walking a few feet towards her with a smile on his face.

He was no longer on crutches thanks to Bob Stookey their resident doctor who provided him with a rod leg, so as he limped his way towards her she met him half way.

"You seen Rick?"

"Not since this morning," he said softly whipping his brow with the back of his hand. "Everything alright?"

She nodded, "water's out again," she said looking out past the fence where the well was. There was a small hose that got twisted up sometimes if the Walkers got too close. Rick was usually the one to fix it, that was why she was so adamant on finding him. He had made it clear that no one else go to that bridge other than him to fix it. It was later on that she found out from Hershel, he'd found Rick out there chasing the ghost of Lori not a year ago. So that spot had meaning to him and she understood that, but without water right now they were in trouble not to mention that was their only well. If the walkers got into it and that hose busted they would all get sick and die.

"Don't go out there," Hershel said to her as if reading her mind.

"There's no walkers over there..." she said absently tilting her head to the side looking over at that area.

"Rick catches you out there -," he started hearing her cut him off.

"It's a simple fix and Rick isn't the one I'd have to worry about," she said with a chuckle seeing Hershel smile at her faintly.

He nodded, "still, don't risk it. Just wait until we find him."

She shook her head, "I'll be quick."

Hershel sighed bending down pulling out a small pistol from his boot handing it to her, "take this."

She patted the front of her pants to show him she had her gun on her and her knife if need be.

"I don't care, just take it... in case you need it."

She nodded and took it without another thought tucking it behind her in her pants before making her way down the driveway. As she walked along she continued to look around for Rick to make sure he wasn't around. If he was she would tell him so she wouldn't have to make this mission herself but still not seeing him around she made her way to the gate.

"I need you guys to distract them for me," Carol said to the kids before looking at Carl. "I need to fix the hose," she said softly.

"Dad does that," he said seriously.

"I can't find him and if I don't do this now there's no telling what's going to get in the water system."

Carl looked conflicted as he looked up at her then back up at the prison as if he were looking for his father then back to Carol. "Alright." He nodded to her and heard the others calling for the stray Walkers along the other side of the fence to follow them along the other end.

Carol waited a minute before Carol pulled the string down leaving a small gap and Carol sprung forward running towards the small bridge where the the well was. She looked back to make sure none of the walkers where around her and as she ran forward she could see a few in the distance ahead of her that were surrounding the other side of the prison. They were moving slow enough that she knew she would be fine.

Or she hoped so at least.

As she reached the well she noticed the hose was nowhere were it was supposed to be. She dipped her hand inside the cold water feeling around for pipe it usually laid against and when she didn't feel it at first she dipped in lower getting on her knees. She felt the water go up past her elbow then and felt the hose then pulling it up above the water to tweak with it for a moment.

As Rick emerged from the prison and hit the outside he could hear some the kids yelling in the distance. He took a moment to register what they were yelling at and then he saw him drilling knives in the walkers heads distracting them. From what he wasn't sure until he saw his son on the other side of them, on the inside of the fence watching something on the outside of the prison. He jogged closer towards the driveway and saw Carol on the outside by the well. Not only did he see Carol but he saw Walkers emerging from the other side of the prison and from the woods closing in around her and she wasnt even aware of it.

"Carol!" Rick yelled loudly seeing her look up.

Carol looked up the moment she heard Rick's voice. She knew she was in for now! Just as she fixed the hose he was going to yell at her, but he wasn't yelling at her for being outside the prison gates, not it was because there were Walkers heading right for her. She took in a deep breath dropping the hose back into place in the water and stood quickly making a run towards the gate Carl was opening up for Rick as he came running towards her firing off two rounds at Walkers that were heading towards him. Carol took her knife out and plunged it in a stray walkers head that was right in front of her feeling the blood splatter on her face.

"Carol behind you!" Carl shouted.

Carol spun in time to feel a Walker grab her shirt by the shoulder only Rick grabbed her arm at the same time pulling her hard into him as they walked backwards he put his hand over her head burying her face in his chest while he fired off his gun hitting the Walker in the eye. He grabbed her hand and they both ran back towards the prison as Carl opened the gates for them. Carol panted slightly as they stepped inside seeing Rick do the same giving her a look of ...she wasnt sure what the look was this time.

"I couldn't find you," she said finally. "We both know it's dangerous if we don't keep that hose clear and that water running."

Rick shook his head putting his hands on his hips. He looked at Carl and nodded and motioned for Carol to follow him. "I know," he said finally. "Are you ok?" he said to her as they walked back up to the prison. Everyone else started to disperse back to where they were once they figured out everything was ok. The few gun shots got a few of the walkers crazy but it was noting too serious right now.

"I'm fine, been through worse," she said with a chuckle knowing very well that when a certain hunter returned later she would catch hell.

D/C/D/C/D/C

"You got a damn death wish or something?" Daryl did everything but shout at her once they were back at their cell.

Carol sat there quietly with her hands folded her lap. She took a shower as soon as she was back in the prison earlier. When the others returned she had heard of their adventure. They got caught up in the Big Spot store. Daryl got caught up surrounded by geeks and if it wasnt for Glenn he'd be dead right now, but was Carol allowed to say anything about that -no. He wouldn't let her get a word in edge wise. They'd lost two people on their run today, two Woodbury people. She was sad, yes, were they people shew as close with, no, but they were two human lives. They had no family in the prison that was one of the main reasons Jeff and Bill usually went on runs with the others, they were just two guys with nothing else to do other than pull their own weight but this time around they found theirselves in the pit of a Walker feast. The rest made it out alive thankfully and there Daryl stood in the dim light of their small cell pacing scolding her for being an idiot for doing something that needed to be done.

"It needed to be done, Daryl, I couldn't find Rick," she said calmly. Her calmness must have pissed him off because he stopped pacing and gave her a death stare -she could practically see the steam coming from his ears. She stood then and faced him mirroring his stance and his look, "lets talk about you then, huh, you get caught in the middle of a bunch of geeks and I can't say anything about it?"

"That's different!"

"How's that different?" she said her voice an octive higher.

Daryl grunted stepping closer to her now. "Because we were on a run, that's bound to happen... happens all the time, ya' just don't know it."

Carol grunted this time slapping her hands at her sides.

Daryl's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He'd never heard Carol grunt much less look this pissed before.

"Yeah well we lost two people today, that's why I heard about it. That could have been you we lost today, from what I hear this wasnt your standard run today..." she said softly.

Daryl sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. "The store was infested," he finally admitted. "Wasn't expecting that many, we waited around for awhile... cleared it out... or so we thought... but... we're getting off subject here," he said seriously looking at her again seeing her eyes brimming with tears.

He hated when she cried. It was very rare when she did actually. Carol had become a tough woman over the course of time he'd known her and when she cried there had to be a damn good reason so he knew it wasn't him being pissed at her that was making her upset. He'd been pissed at her plenty of times over the winter and they'd gotten over it quickly without even an argument.

"What ya' cryin' for?"

"I'm not crying," she said turning away from him. She leaned down and pulled back her blankets on the bottom bunk. "Look just ... I'm sorry I went out of the fence alright. But I did what needed to be done. You would have done the same."

Daryl heard a small crack in her voice and he didn't like it. Maybe he was being a little hard on her, he was just worried is all. That was dangerous of her to go outside the fence alone like that. That was just the point he was trying to make is all. Carl was the only person around with a gun, the other Woodbury kids only had knifes and they weren't as good as Carl with any other weapon. He could have lost her and that was the point he was trying to make. This was all a mess now, this was a complete turn around from this morning that was for sure.

"Hey," he grunted watching her stand up with her back to him. He gripped her upper arm turning her around so she'd look at him. When she didn't but instead just looked down at her feet he dropped his hand and stepped back a little with his hands at his sides. "Listen... ya' can't just go outside that fence like that... you had no one to back you up," he said softly. He watched her look up at him then he could see her eyes still had tears on the brim but nothing fell. "I understand what ya' did was important, just... don't pull no shit like that no more, alright?" he said in an almost hurt tone.

Carol nodded and sighed, "and the next time you go on a run and something like that happens... well I can't ask you for that not to happen because it probably will but," she sighed once more, "don't keep things like that from me." Her voice was serious this time as her eyes searched his face.

"Why so ya' worry more for the next time?" He said with a small smirk.

"N -no," she said softly swallowing hard.

"Then why?" he asked almost hesitantly.

"What am I to you, Daryl?" she asked ignoring his question completely.

He froze completely. This was what he was dreading. Well not dreading but what he was afraid of. All his confidence from this morning was missing somehow and in these few minutes with her he was searching for it and here she was with the teasing -or so he thought she was teasing him.

"My friend..." he said with a shrug.

"Your partner?" she said with burning cheeks.

He nodded quickly. Partner sounded nice. Better than boyfriend. Ok so maybe she wasn't teasing and maybe he did set her up to make the next move. Without thinking his feet moved again and he stepped closer to her.

Carol swallowed hard and reached up hesitantly balling up the front of his shirt, her eyes trailing from where her hand was up to his lips then to his eyes. She pressed closer to him then and felt his arms circle around her tiny frame. She smiled up at him then and watched him do the same.

"Your my partner," she repeated watching him nod once more. She frowned slightly and closed her eyes before smiling once more to look up at him. She could see the look of panic on his face feeling his arms hold her tighter. "and you'll promise from now on to tell me if something bad happens on your runs?" she asked him again.

He chuckled and rolled his eyes, "woman I ain't never met someone who worried as much as you do," he said. "But if it makes ya' happy..." he said trailing off.

"Thank you," she said softly with a chuckle before her voice got serious. "I just wanted to know because... because..." she paused biting her lower lip. "Even though I'll worry... I wanted you to know I'll love you a little more each time you go out there and little more each time you come back." She swallowed hard not looking at him at first before her eyes averted up to see him looking at her intensely.

Daryl's eyebrows furrowed together as he looked down at her -he knew he loved her and he suspected she loved him back but he never heard her say it. He didn't know if he was supposed to say it back right now or not. Earlier he couldn't kiss her when he knew he was supposed to and right now he knew he was supposed to tell her he loved her back but he was so stunned he didn't know if he could. But he also knew Carol wasn't like that, she was a simple woman who didn't need much to please that was why he loved her so damn much.

Quickly his left hand removed itself from her back and shot up to her neck and he pressed her lips to his. No caution or questions about it, his tongue seeked hers hungrily as he pushed her flush against him. He heard her moan into his mouth as he growled back feeling her fingers come up to thread through his shaggy hair. He bit her bottom lip slightly lifting her up off the ground before putting her back down on her feet again feeling her break the kiss as his mouth chased her for a quick peck watching her lips curve up into a smile. He panted pressing his forehead to hers as he cupped the sides of her neck holding her in place as she did the same to him.

"About time," she said softly with a smirk.

He laughed then pulling away from slightly to look at her beautiful swollen red lips that he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life kissing, "shut up."

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**Ok I know this won't happen tomorrow but we can all wish right? Or I do anyways... I hope you all liked my one shot! I'm so sorry I haven't been on to finish up my Fight the Dead-Fear Being Without You Fanfic of Caryl I have the next chapter's of that written and will be updating that soon. Forgiving me again for not being around. Cancer and brain tumors are a Bi*** so I've been very sick. This was something that just popped into my head after watching the trailer a dozen times. **

**(BTW who else is with me on this... Bob Stookey is working for the Gov.. he was sent to the prison to "help" them out but really to spy on them, he's the Gov's inside man. That's just my opinion!? He says the same thing to Tyreese, Ty said to the Gov when they got to Woodbury last season, just a thought. I ran that by IronE and he agreed with me LOL)**

**I hope you all enjoyed it sorry if it's full of errors. I had to write and come back, write and come back, I can't be on the computer like I used to. It hurts my head too much. Which brings me to the reviews. I've been on here when I can reading fanfictions. I've been reviewing as a guest I guess maybe I need to start puting SA or something I'm sorry about that. I've been fangirling out about a lot of M and K-T stories too! A lot of AU stuff too!**

**I have an AU story I want to put up and a Season 2 story but I'm not sure, I think those are being done on here by everyone so I'm not sure if anyone wants to read those now. **

**Anyhow, please review. It would make me SO happy! Let me know what you think! I tried to stay IC!**

**Reviews make me happy! Love to you all!**


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